Apparatus for shaping steel



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(NoModeL) J. A. POTTER. ABP'ARATUSFOR SHAPING STEEL. No. 498,304. Patented May 30,1893.

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- J. A. POTTER.

APPARATUS FOR SHAPING STEEL.

Patented May so, 1893.

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TATES PATENT O F CE.

' JoHN A. POTTER, on MUNHALL, PENNSYLVANIA.

' APPARATUS F QR sHAPlNG STEEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 498,304, dated May 30, 1893. Application filed March 26, 1891. Serial No. 386 514. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN A. POTTER, of Munhall, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Shaping Steel, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention is designed to afford efficient means by which steel can be reduced directly into the form of bars or rods of suitable crosssection, by forcing it while in a plastic state through a die. In the use of my improvement I take steel while molten and -pour it into a mold-cylinder from which, after it has partly solidified but while still plastic, it is ejected through the die. I thus avoid the labor, waste and expense of casting the steel into ingots, reheating and rolling them to merchantable shapes.

I shall now describe my invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in

Figure 1 is a plan View of my improved machine. Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line II-II of Fig. 1. Figs. 3 and t are vertical cross-sections on the lines III- III and 1V-IV of Fig. 2, respectively.

In the drawings, cylinder, which consists of. a strong casting and is preferably connected with an end .5 is'the plunger of the cylinder 2, and 6 is a pipe by which water or other motive fluid is admitted to the cylinder to actuate the plunger. The cylinder 2 is single acting, and for the purpose of retracting its plunger I employ a smaller counterbalancing' cylinder 7, having a plunger 8 provided with a rod 9, which passes through the cylinder 2 and is flexibly coupled to the plunger '5, as shown in Fig. 2.

10 is a pipe by which water is admitted to the cylinder 7.

11 is the'cylinderfor containing the .steel to be compressed and shaped. It consists of a hollow mold-like cylinder which may be encircled by strengthening bands 12 of iron or steel and which is open at the front end and closed at therear end. At its opposite sides it has pins or trunnions 13, and it is adapted to sit in a cradle 14, (Fig. 3) in which it is supported by the fitting of the trunnions in inder is 2 represents the motive forked portions of the cradle. The cradle is swiveled to and supported by the end of the upright plunger 15 of a cylinder 16 which is carried by a truck 17, movable on a track 18. The lower end of the cylinder 16 may be provided with an adjustable stop 19, which limits the extent of downward motion of the plunger 15.

Fig. 2 shows the parts of the apparatus'in operative position. The mold cylinder 11 then rests on the cradle 14, its rear end fits against the end of the plunger 5, and it is connected therewith by pins 20 on the cylinder which fit on hooks 21 projecting from the plunger. Fitting in the end of the mold-cyla hollow die 22, flaring internally and made of proper diameter and shape to effect the reduction of the metal to the dimensions required. In advance of the die 22 is a hollow guide-cylinder 23, which is secured to the end block 3 in line with the axis of the mold.

cylinder 11, and registers with a' passage 24 in the end-block. The bore of the guide-cylinder 23 is of somewhat larger diameter than the largest portion of the'die. It bears against the die and serves thereto the function of a stationary resistance post or plunger. I shall use in the claims the word plunger to designate this part, whether constructed in the manner illustrated, or in someiother manner adapted to act by affording resistance to the die, whether the same be a merely passive resistance, or whether it be adapted to move to force the die into the mold-cylinder. Above the guide-cylinder 23 is a guide block 25, having an inclined face adapted to guide the mold-cylinder into position as hereinafter explained.

The operation of the apparatus is as fol lows:Before setting the mold-cylinder in the machine and while itis in an upright position, I place in its rear end a small charge of refractory clay 26, and I then pour into the cylinder above the clay a charge of molten steel and place in the end above the steel the annular die 22. far solidified as to permit the mold-cylinder to be placed on its side without bleeding, I suspend it from a crane by means of lugs 27 and lower it into position on the cradle 14., as shown in Fig. 2, the block 25 serving to guide it into place. Before depositing the mold- Then when the steel has so cylinder in the cradle, thelatter may be raised by elevating the plunger 15, and may then be lowered into the position shown in Fig. 2 by exhausting the Water from the cylinder 16. The parts are then in the position shown in Fig. 2, the mold-cylinderbeing connected with the plunger 5, and the guide-cylinder 23 be ing in register with the annular die 22. When the metal in the mold-cylinder has solidified somewhat, but while it is yet hot and plastic, water is admitted to the cylinder 2, the etfect of which is to project the plunger5 and to advance the mold-cylinder 11, carrying with it the truck 17 and cylinder 16. As the the mold-cylinder advances it passes over the guide-cylinder 23, and the pressure thereby exerted upon the metal contained in the mold-cylinder displaces the same and causes it to flow through the die 22 and through the guide-cylinder 23. to the form of a bar of cross-section corresponding to that of the opening of the die whether it be round, square or of other shape. As it emerges from the opening 24, the bar thus produced will be received on a suitable support or table. Then the rear end of the mold-cylinderreaches the annular I described.

die, the body of clay 26 is forced thereinto and displaces of the die, thereby ejecting the metal entirely into the guide-cylinder. This is important because otherwise. the metal would solidify in the die and would be very difficult to remove. When the metal has been entirely displaced from the mold-cylinder, the plunger 5 is retracted, thereby restoring the parts to the position shown in Fig. 2. Then by admitting Water into the cylinder 16, the cradle 14 is elevated and the mold-cylinder is lifted above the apparatus and may be removed by the crane.

The machine thus constitutes an efiicient means for shaping steel rapidly and without the labor incident to the usual method of casting a steel ingot and subsequently reducing it by rolling. By varying the cross-sectional shape of the forming-die,bars of a variety of shapes may be produced, and, if desired, instead of having the die, there may be several such openings adapted to produce several bars of steel at once.

The advantages of my invention will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. By moving the mold-cylinder over the die instead of forcing the metal by a plunger through the mold-cylinder and into the die, I am enabled to displace the. steel without excessive friction, and I eltioiency power necessary to be employed. the body of refractory thereby increase the of the apparatus and diminish the The use of material as an agent insert therein re-heated The die shapes the metal cylinder an apertured die, through the die,

the plug of metal at the mouth 1 cylinder adapted to receive a charge of steel, adie having a mouth 1 tially the size of the mold aperture movable as and for the purposes incler a cylinder and but one opening in cylinder for rejecting the residue of W from: the mold-cylinder is of advantgifli' above indicated, and the gener one of the apparatus is also remarkably go using jointed connections between the and plunger 5, and between the mold-cyh der and cradle, and between the mold-cylin der and the plunger, without the danger of binding and breaking which, by reason of inequality of construction or expansion by heat, would otherwise be present.

Various modificsn I if construction of the apparatus within at; scope of the invention as stated in the claims will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art. Instead of charging molten steel into the mold cylinder, I may steel blooms, though this is not so desirable.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In apparatus for shaping steel, a moldadapted to receive a charge of steel, means for forcing the metal and a compressible refractory charge located in the bottom of the moldcavity; substantially as and for the purposes 2. In apparatus for shaping steel, a moldtapering to substanwithin the mold-cylinder, a cradle for upholding the mold-cylinder. a cylinder and plunger carrying the cradle and movable across the end of the die. and means for forcing the cylinder over the die; substantially described.

3. In apparatus for shaping steel, a moldcylinder adapted to receive a charge of steel, an apertured die movable within the moldeylinder, a cradle for upholding the mold-cylplunger for elevating the cradle, a truck by which said cylinder and plunger are carried; and means for forcing the cylinder over the die, substantially as and for the purposes described.

4. In apparatus for shaping steel, a mold adapted to receive a charge of steel, an apertured die movable within the moldcylinder, acradle. for upholding the mold-cylinder, a cylinder and plunger for elevating the cradle, and guide 25; located above the die, and means for forcing the cylinder over the die substantially as and for the purposes described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 23d day of March, A. D. 1891.

JOHN A. POTTER.

Witnesses:

A. DINKEY, W. H. CORBETT.

the mechanism operates 

